China Bans Muslim Names, Including “Mohammad”

China is cracking down on the “religious fervor”….In April, China banned many different Muslim names, including popular ones such as “Jihad” and “Mohammad.”

According to The New York Times, they received a copy of China’s document, which is quite literally titled, “List of Banned Ethnic Minority Names.” The catalog lists more than two dozen names that the country has banned.

Officials in the heavily Muslim region of Urumqi and Xinjiang have confirmed the ban. Reports say that if residents do not comply, then they risk forfeiting their childcare’s benefits, such as education and healthcare.

The document was provided to The Times by the Muslim minority Uighur community. The region has seen a string of extremist attacks, including a stabbing spree by a group of attackers that killed at least eight people in February.

Chinese officials around the country confirmed the ban, listing a reduction in essential services – such as education and health care – as the penalty for those who rebelled against the restriction.

“China’s policies are increasingly hostile,” Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the World Uyghur Congress, told The Times. “Uighur people have to be cautious if they want to give their children names they are happy with, and at the same time avoid punishment from the government.”

The name ban follows a prohibition that came down earlier this month disallowing long beards and face-covering veils.

Should the rest of the world take a page out of China’s book or does this step cross the line? There seems to be much controversy on the topic on Twitter.

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